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Law prof and cop agree: Never talk to cops

Boing Boing features two videos, one by a lawyer, the other by a cop, that echo what a lawyer from the National Lawyers Guild once told me. If the FBI knocks on your door and says, can we ask you a few questions, your best and smartest response is to say No and close the door.

At the very beginning of the video, Prof. Duane addresses the — literally — unknowable extent to which federal laws and regulations have grown, so that even the government itself has no idea how many punishable offenses there are. It’s very easy for people with clean consciences to admit to violating laws and regulations they never knew existed.

What about the other side of the debate?

Responding in the same classroom to Prof. Duane, Office George Bruch of the Virginia Beach Police Department says … the professor is absolutely right.

Did you know that what you tell a cop that might help you if arrested can not be used in court because it’s hearsay? And that truthful statements can still come back and bite you? So, “any competent lawyer will always tell clients to keep their mouth shut” and save it for the trial. There’s lots more information like this on these videos.